The chance to celebrate national poetry month, however, has brought one resident to centre stage. 100-year-old Emma has written poetry for most of her life. She keeps all her poems in a folio, each individually typed with love and care.

Recently, residents sat to hear the team recite some of these poems. Emma’s selection ranges from love to loss, from family to solitude and everything in between. Emma is proud that many of her poems have been published over the years and is particularly proud to have featured in ‘Chat’ magazine.

One poem in particular was very well received by her fellow residents and we wanted to share it with you:

Spring

A summer’s day

A bright blue sky

The fragrant smell of peat,

The sights and sounds of countryside

A field of swaying wheat.

A lovely dell, a country lane,

The buzz of bumble bee.

There’s beauty all around us

And all of it is free.

The lovely trees of different hues

As autumn time comes around,

And with the shedding of their leaves

A carpet then is found.

The air is fresh and crisp and clean

As wintertime is nigh,

And winds blow leaves and seeds about

And clouds go scudding by.

Even on a wet day there’s beauty to be found

Take the gleam on sunlight

On puddles on the ground.

But wait until the spring comes around

The wonder of it all,

As buds begin to push their way

And birds begin to call.

Leaves burst forth in triumph,

Ants begin to run

Hedges start to shoot about

And spiders web is spun.

Oh yes to see the county

When spring is on the way,

Is to know the joy of living

If only for one day.

Therefore, Brookside set to work with residents chopping fruit to be blended into smoothies and  interesting cordials were purchased for the residents to try. A coconut and a ginger and pear cordial were both well received, and the most popular smoothie was a banana and chocolate flavour.

There are many risk factors that make our elderly population particularly susceptible to dehydration:

Many of the illnesses and ailments associated with old age can cause a reduced sensation for thirst, Alzheimer’s disease and Strokes in particular may further pronounce this issue. The person may not actually recognise that they are thirsty, or they may feel the sensation but be unable to recognise what it means.
Many older people who suffer with continence issues may actively avoid fluids, to reduce the need for trips to the loo and to lessen the risk of embarrassment in the event of an accident.
Many older people have a reduced renal function, and this means the hormonal response to dehydration which protects most of us may be impaired.
Cognitive impairment may mean that an individual loses the awareness that they need to drink or may leave them unsure of how to access the fluids they need.
Older people may need diuretic or laxative type medications, which can further reduce the amount of fluids present in the body.

Once dehydrated, an individual is left vulnerable to falls due to the effects which it brings, signs and symptoms of dehydration can include:

• Increased hypotension (low blood pressure) leading to dizziness, light headedness and nausea
• Impaired mental performance. Memory can be compromised, attention can be limited, concentration can suffer, and reaction times can be slowed.
• Lethargy may again impact on awareness and reaction times

Looking at these symptoms makes it far easier to understand how dehydration can lead to increased risk of falls. Jamie Carter, Registered Manager at Brookside said, ‘It’s important that everyone within the home has an understanding of the dangers of dehydration, it’s not just a job for our care team, but also our housekeepers, maintenance and administrative teams all have a role to play in managing hydration with our residents. Activities like this allow conversations around fluids to be opened and as a result we become more aware of individual risk factors and in turn, they become more empowered to manage their own hydration needs. It is our hope that these conversations will ultimately lead to a reduction in falls and a safer environment for our residents .’

According to the NHS one in three adults over 65 who live at home will have one fall per year and around half of those will fall more frequently. Even more worryingly, falls are the most common cause of injury related death in people over 75. Therefore, it is imperative that when you care for a loved one you consider their hydration needs. Activity Coordinator Elena says, ‘We hope that we can lead by example as part of an organisation that is truly committed to the health and wellbeing of it’s residents. Maybe someone will read our blog and use it to change the way they think about hydration, after all it is important for everyone’.

There was a great turn out from our residents and staff as well as some family members visiting, and all were able to relax and enjoy some fantastic songs sung by the pupils.

What a treat these young people were; from the moment they arrived we had energy as they enjoyed their packed lunches in our garden with a little visit from the Sun to get everyone in a good mood. However, when it came time to get set up and begin their set – these energetic pupils all became quite professional and treated us all to a great set of songs and actions to go with them.

Some popular songs were performed with our residents joining in, what a great way to exercise the mind through the power of music, voice and friendship.

We were even able to have a little Q & A time where the pupils came up with some great questions that only a young person could – from ‘Who is the oldest?’ to ‘Does anyone have a girlfriend or a boyfriend?’

Following their performance, the pupils were straight in chatting and mingling with our residents over a cup of juice and treats provided.

Mr Handley (Year 5) told us that the pupils have been ‘super-excited all morning and couldn’t wait to visit.’

An AMAZING experience to see these young people interacting with our residents.

We look forward to your next visit and of course your next concert.

Whether they are sporting fancy hats for Ascot, eating strawberries and cream during Wimbledon or visiting an ice cream parlour in the height of summer, the residents and team at Langford View enjoy marking the seasons with fun activities, outings and, of course, seasonal food.

As mornings get chillier and nights begin to draw in, autumn is fast approaching but the seasonal fun at Langford View continues. With last month’s launch of Langford View’s weekly coffee mornings, the home has used the opportunity to theme these get-togethers to make the most of what autumn and winter have to offer, as well as hosting some special extra events too.

Come along and enjoy some autumn punch and carve a pumpkin at the Autumn Fayre, try your luck at apple bobbing and see the spooky costumes at the Halloween fancy dress coffee morning, or top up your Christmas shopping at the Christmas fete. Here is what Langford View have lined up over the next few months:

• Macmillan Coffee Morning - Friday 28th September, 10.30-11.45am
• Autumn Fayre - Tuesday 16th October, 10am-12pm
• Halloween Fancy Dress Coffee Morning and Raffle - Wednesday 31st October, 10.30-11.45am
• Children in Need Coffee Morning - Friday 16th November, 10.30-11.45am
• Christmas Fete - Saturday 8th December, 2pm-4pm
• Christmas Jumper Day Coffee Morning - Friday 14th December, 10.30-11.45am

If you can’t make it to any of these events, Langford View’s free coffee mornings are held every Friday from 10.30am to 11.45am. These mornings provide a great chance to meet new people and enjoy hot drinks, delicious cakes and entertainment along with plenty of chat and laughter. Everyone is welcome so please do come along and drop in at any time. For more information and how to find the home please click here.

There was a wonderful turnout with a combined total of 286 attending, including 16 homes from Gloucestershire and 17 from Wiltshire. Residents, employees, volunteers and family members all helped to make the two events a huge success.

Our residents participate in various creative projects throughout the year with the help and support of our dedicated activity coordinators and volunteers. At this year’s craft show the categories on display were:

• Art & pottery
• Cakes
• Flowers, vegetables & fruit
• Jams & pickles
• Woollen & needlework

Those judging the exhibits included the local mayor, Companions of The Order of Malta, Trustees and Directors. Sampling the cakes, jams and pickles was a big hit!

Both Karen Johnson and Sian Dewhurst who are the Volunteer & Events Managers for Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, respectively, agreed that the annual Harvest and Craft Shows are very much looked forward to by the residents and how heartening it is to see everyone having a lovely afternoon. They noted that it was a fabulous opportunity for all to showcase their creativity as well as an opportunity to interact socially on a larger scale between the homes.

Jo Blackburn, Care Quality Director commented: “I thoroughly enjoy our Resident Harvest and Craft Shows. It is a wonderful way for us all to come together to celebrate harvest time and reminisce on times gone by. The fabulous crafts, cakes, vegetables and fruit on display were produced by our residents as part of our creative activities programme which has such a positive impact on the lives of our residents. We are also indebted to our volunteers who play a vital role in our Care Homes and without their support occasions like this would not be possible.”

Not only was it a great opportunity to meet other members of the wider OSJCT network and residents of other homes within the county; but it gave us a chance to showcase some of our creative ideas. The day was a great success with over 30 homes in the region all attending with arts and crafts made throughout the year.

The day saw some fantastic projects including pickled eggs, homegrown vegetables and homemade jams, flower arranging, arts & craft pieces as well as a scare crow named ‘Laura’.

It was amazing to see not only how much our residents enjoyed themselves; but also, a real joy in getting to see the huge amount of work and creativity that went on in every home across Gloucester.

There was even time for our resident Tony to ask for a little dance with our Care Leader, Annamarie.

There was a wonderful turnout with a combined total of 286 attending, including 16 homes from Gloucestershire and 17 from Wiltshire. Residents, employees, volunteers and family members all helped to make the two events a huge success.

Our residents participate in various creative projects throughout the year with the help and support of our dedicated activity coordinators and volunteers. At this year’s craft show the categories on display were:

• Art & pottery
• Cakes
• Flowers, vegetables & fruit
• Jams & pickles
• Woollen & needlework

Those judging the exhibits included the local mayor, Companions of The Order of Malta, Trustees and Directors. Sampling the cakes, jams and pickles was a big hit!

Both Karen Johnson and Sian Dewhurst who are the Volunteer & Events Managers for Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, respectively, agreed that the annual Harvest and Craft Shows are very much looked forward to by the residents and how heartening it is to see everyone having a lovely afternoon. They noted that it was a fabulous opportunity for all to showcase their creativity as well as an opportunity to interact socially on a larger scale between the homes.

Jo Blackburn, Care Quality Director commented: “I thoroughly enjoy our Resident Harvest and Craft Shows. It is a wonderful way for us all to come together to celebrate harvest time and reminisce on times gone by. The fabulous crafts, cakes, vegetables and fruit on display were produced by our residents as part of our creative activities programme which has such a positive impact on the lives of our residents. We are also indebted to our volunteers who play a vital role in our Care Homes and without their support occasions like this would not be possible.”

Louis and David attended the home every two weeks and taught our residents songs accompanied with musical instruments. In Louis and David’s last session we celebrated the Last Night of the Proms where ‘Live Music Now’ challenged care homes from all over the country to do something musical and to share what they’ve done through Facebook and Twitter.

Louis Bingham said "It was an absolute joy to work with all the staff and residents at Monkscroft. We looked forward to each visit and always came upon something new and exciting during the musical experiences we had together. Upon a return visit after the project had wrapped up we were delighted to feel the same warmth amongst the group, and to hear and see the evidence that musical activity was just as strong (if not more so) as when we left. Thank you to everyone at Monkscroft who made this such a special and enduring project."

The impact of the sessions has been very clear to see, with over 30 residents getting involved in the project, they all appeared to enjoy the sessions and engaging with the musicians.

The ‘Live Music Now’ project in conjunction with ‘Last Night at the Proms’ was a wonderful experience and opportunity for both residents and the team. Monkscroft have even been invited to attend a conference at the University of Nottingham in October to present a session with the musicians and share our experiences with the project.

The home was wonderfully decorated in Union Jacks and residents were provided with hats and flags to help create a Proms style atmosphere whilst enjoying a range of classical music pieces.

The home’s catering team created some delicious cakes and treats for the event and residents thoroughly enjoyed coming together to enjoy a superb afternoon of music and singing.

Taking part in music can have a great impact on social and emotional wellbeing and quality of life. A number of OSJCT homes across Lincolnshire are working with Live Music Now to bring music and singing into our homes more regularly as part of a project called “A choir in every care home”.

Look out for more news about this project over the coming weeks.

The Sun maybe deciding to hide more these days; but that did not stop our residents and staff having a blast with some friends and popular music all played on the Ukulele’s. Our residents were able to enjoy many songs going back to the 50’s and 60’s all the way to present day classics, giving us all a chance to sing along.

Suddenly, you take a glance and see some of the residents with instruments, smiles and well; to be honest some excellent rhythm,

All of us here at OSJCT Grace Care Centre and on behalf of the residents would like to thank the Yate Ukulele Band for their time.

Our residents on the 5th of September also held a ‘Reminiscence day’ in our activity room allowing everyone to express their stories and memories from an incredible time in their lives growing up during World War II.

All the stories told were incredible, and some great memories and some not so great; but every story told was a blessing to hear!

Our residents were then able to examine a few different time relevant items such as ‘sewing kits’, ‘toaster’, ‘photographs’ and some ‘recipes’.